Eastertide
May 9, 2020
Scripture Reading:
John 14:1-14
‘Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling-places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way to the place where I am going.’ Thomas said to him, ‘Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.’ –John 14:1-7
We are created as unique individuals with equally diverse life experiences that mold us into the persons we are and are becoming. The most miraculous aspect of that idea is like a puzzle, we are all crafted to become one beautiful picture reflecting the love of God. For some reason, I have little or no concern about what happens after death. Scriptures like the one above, assure me that I will be with God, and in my way of thinking that is all that matters. Our energies as people of faith need to be focused on doing our part in putting God’s great mosaic together. In times like these, such a commission is imperative.
Evil thrives in dividing and conquering; Christ invites us to sit at his table and break bread together. It is an opportunity to learn we have far more in common than that which divides us. Calling a moratorium on divisiveness seems appropriate. What if we designated one day and challenged ourselves to politely and graciously introduce a new outlook when we are confronted by that which divides us? What if we identify those issues for which no common ground seems possible and set them aside while we invest our energies in solving common interests? Finding success in addressing less volatile concerns could pave the way for identifying creative methods of dealing with more challenging differences.
Prayer: Lord, broaden our vision of how to address the problems we face so that our solutions reflect your way of love. Amen.
All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.